Present NCAA javelin rules specify many physical parameters of a javelin, but do not specify any location for the aerodynamic center of pressure (hereinafter referred to as c.p.); and so far as known to applicant, no one has aerodynamically analyzed a javelin's flight to determine its optimum aerodynamic characteristics.
I have found that the flight distance of a javelin is surprisingly affected by the distance between its center of gravity (hereinafter called c.g.) and its c.p. The c.p.-to-c.g. distance is hereinafter called the moment arm of the javelin, and javelins made to meet midrange requirements of the present NCAA rules have moment arms of about 20 cm or more. I have discovered that javelins with far smaller moment arms of from 0 to 5 cm can fly many meters farther than present javelins when launched at the same initial velocity. I have also found ways that the surface shape and finish relative to the weight distribution can be modified slightly within the present javelin rules to make javelins capable of significantly increased flight distances relative to launching velocity. The invention aims at a competition javelin meeting all the applicable rules, but made more aerodynamically efficient.